News: July 2006

Selected as a Finalist!

I am extremely happy to have been chosen as a finalist in the 2006 Waterhouse
Natural History Art Prize. This is the second year in a row that I've
been selected as a finalist in this competion (my
2005 success).

Background

The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize is an art competition
held annually by the South Australian Museum, for artwork 'depicting a
natural history topic, which for the purposes of this competition means
“A work dealing with natural objects, animal, vegetable or mineral.”
No work shall include human subjects or human influences such as objects,
buildings, stock, vineyards, cleared land etc.' (from the Waterhouse
website-link will open in its own window).
The competition is open to all artists around the world, and has 3 categories
based on media used. There are prizes in all 3 categories, as well as
an overall winner, and a people's choice winner.

This is the fouth year for the competition, and the second time that
I have entered.

The Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize exhibition of finalists
was shown at the South Australian Museum, North Terrace, from the 5th
of August until the 10th of September, 2006.

My entry, in category B(artwork produced using Watercolour, Pastel, Gouache, Ink,
Charcoal, Pencil or a Mix):

Close to the Heart

58 cm x 74.5 cm, natural charcoal on acid-free drawing
paper.

This drawing was done as part of my current project, called "Microcosm"
- concentrating a year's work on one Moreton Bay Fig tree.

Close to the heart, the main vessels are large, and flow with energy.
Being close to the centre of the tree means close to its 'heart'. Even
though a tree may not have an organ called a heart (as animals have),
which acts as a circulatory pump, trees also have circulatory systems.
Trees need to bring water and nutrients up from the ground out to all
of their leaves for generating energy from photosynthesis, for keeping
their cells alive. And they need to distribute the results of all the
photosynthesis back to all of its cells, including those in its roots.
One might consider the important section of trunk just above the roots
to be the tree's heart. All major circulation passes through this region
of the tree. Some trees can pump water silently more than 100 metres above
the ground to their leaves. How do they do this, especially when a vacuum
can only hold a column of water about 10 metres high?

The subject is also close to my heart. I know this tree from spending
much time at it back in 1984. It has marvellous large forms and 'presence'
(a thrill from just being near the tree) that speak to my heart.

I am pleased with the composition of this drawing, which was worked out
with smaller biro sketches before I started this study.

I am standing close to the centre of the tree. The large forms flowing
closely past me make me feel as though I am confronting the 'presence'
of the tree itself. It's a rich position to do a drawing from and I enjoyed
the challenge of it. The angle of view is very wide, which provides enough
challenge in itself.

I am also pleased with the choice of natural charcoal for this drawing,
allowing me to build up and rework areas of soft grey tone. Using sticks
of natural charcoal forces me to work fairly broadly, because they don't
really allow for consistent crisp thin linework. Even so, much of the
contour linework has to be extremely accurate to convey an accurate sense
of the forms. Many contour lines are removed and attempted 3 or 4 times
to get them as I want them.

To do this drawing, I had to stand and mainly hold the large drawing
board, which proved to be physically demanding and tiring. After a couple
of weeks of working this way, I worked out a way of setting the board
up on an easel perched pricariously on top of the buttress roots. This
was much more comfortable for me, but proved to be a pretty fragile arrangement
in even a moderate wind, and I often had to revert to holding the board.
I am pleased with the discipline and control shown throughout this drawing.

Detail 1:

Detail 2:

Detail 3:

Below (left) is a photo of the same drawing at an earlier stage, next
to a similar sized version of the finished drawing (right), which can
give an idea of the amount of development put into this drawing: